Jackie Kennedy knew the names of each of John F Kennedy's mistresses, but a
new book claims Marilyn Monroe bothered her the most.

As the wife of a popular young president in an age when powerful men's infidelity was discreetly ignored, Jackie Kennedy put up with a lot.

She apparently knew the names of each of John F Kennedy's mistresses and was able to quietly dismiss them.

But according to a new book there was one love rival she was unable to ignore: Marilyn Monroe.

Mrs Kennedy brooded on her husband's affair with the film star more than any other fling and Monroe "seemed to bother her the most," according to These Precious Few Days: The Final Years of Jack with Jackie by Christopher Andersen.

The first lady was worried that the actress "was a loose cannon who could go public at any time, causing a scandal that would obliterate her husband's reputation, destroy her marriage and hold her up to public ridicule."

Monroe reportedly became convinced she would be Kennedy's second wife and told friends: "Can't you just see me as first lady?"

The book reports one unconfirmed episode where Monroe called the White House and spoke to Mrs Kennedy, telling her of the affair with her husband.

Mrs Kennedy reportedly replied: "Marilyn, you'll marry Jack, that's great. And you'll move into the White House and you'll assume the responsibilities of first lady, and I'll move out and you'll have all the problems."

The first lady reportedly confided in Dr Frank Finnerty, one of her personal physicians, about her inadequate sex life, telling him: "[Kennedy] just goes too fast and falls asleep."

After "some understandable hesitation", Dr Finnerty offered up some sex advice which improved the first couple's relations but did not stop Kennedy's extramarital activities, according to the book.

It also describes the alarm of some of Kennedy's intimates when they learned that both he and his wife were being treated by Max Jacobson, a German physician known as "Dr Feelgood" for his habit of regular injections.

At the height of the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, Dr Jacobson was reportedly injecting both Kennedys as well as other members of the "Camelot" set.